Archives for July 2007
Vostok 1
Published on 10 Jul 2007 at 12:39 pm.
3 Comments.
Filed under space exploration, wonders.
My second pick for my list of Seven Wonders of Space Exploration was Vostok 1. On April 12, 1961, another massive R-7 rocket lifted off from the launch site later named Baikonur (The launch site itself was not near the town Baikonur, but was rather near Tyuratam. The Soviet Union, though, had reported […]
Sputnik 1
Published on 9 Jul 2007 at 4:32 pm.
5 Comments.
Filed under space exploration, wonders.
October 4, 1957, a giant R-7 intercontinental ballistic missile lifted off from its launch pad deep in the heart of the Soviet Union. Instead of carrying a nuclear warhead, as the missile had been designed to do, this R-7 was being used as a booster to place a 58.5 centimeter diameter sphere of mass […]
Seven Wonders?
Published on 8 Jul 2007 at 1:04 am.
11 Comments.
Filed under space exploration, wonders.
For the last few months, there has been an internet poll going to decide the New 7 Wonders of the world. Now, the votes are in, and the new seven wonders have been picked. There is general agreement on the original seven wonders of the world — the seven wonders of the ancient […]
Corona Borealis
Published on 7 Jul 2007 at 1:38 pm.
2 Comments.
Filed under constellations, sky lore.
The constellation Corona Borealis is located between Vega and Arcturus. It is currently high in the sky at sunset. The image that I’ve loaded is for either much later as it is setting, or this fall when it is low in the western sky at sunset.
Corona Borealis is the “Northern Crown.” The […]
Aphelion
Published on 6 Jul 2007 at 1:39 pm.
2 Comments.
Filed under Earth, astronomy, planets.
Earth is currently at aphelion (or will be just a few hours after I write this). Like all the planets, Earth’s orbit is somewhat elliptical. Johannes Kepler studied planetary motion in the early 17th Century. His first law of planetary motion, based upon his analysis of Tycho Brahe’s observations, was that planets […]
The Dust Storm and the Rovers
Published on 5 Jul 2007 at 6:59 pm.
6 Comments.
Filed under Mars.
Mars is currently experiencing dust storms. Now, that is nothing really unusual for Mars. It has a lot of dust storms, and many of those storms are huge. In fact, Martian dust storms can sometimes get so active that they cover then entire planet from pole to pole. (Actually, in that case, it is usually […]
Read ‘The Dust Storm and the Rovers’
Happy Fourth of July
Published on 4 Jul 2007 at 12:04 pm.
No Comments.
Filed under Uncategorized.
Happy Fourth of July to everyone. For my readers outside of the United States who don’t know it, this is the day that we celebrate Independence Day. For my readers here in the US, let’s take time out to reflect on what it means to be free. Also, let’s remember that a […]
